Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be revealed in him.” Over the years, I’ve witnessed tens of thousands of miracles. Jesus is still the Healer. I never want people to look at me – they must look to Him. While there are times when sickness can be connected to sin, that is not always the case. The Apostle Paul tells believers to examine themselves before taking communion, warning that receiving it in an unworthy manner can result in weakness and sickness.

The miracles of Jesus were never ends in themselves; they revealed who He is. As Scripture says, He was “a Man approved by God through signs and wonders.”

Jesus spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, spread it on the blind man’s eyes, and told him, “Go, wash.” The man obeyed, and immediately his sight was restored.

The promise given to us is the Holy Spirit and fire. In Acts 2, fire actually appeared, yet many in the Church today do not seem to recognise the need for the Fire of God.

When I was 14 years old and seeking the Holy Spirit, I never felt that those praying for me had the Fire. I was searching for something they themselves did not possess. I wanted what the first disciples had.

Then, when the Holy Spirit came upon me, I felt and saw something extraordinary. I received what I had been seeking – a powerful experience of the Fire of God.

For more information on the Ministry of David Hathaway https://www.eurovision.org.uk

In a time of national calamity, Joel 2.21, 23 declares: “Do not be afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things... Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.”

Having spent many years traveling in Israel, I understand the significance of these rains. The former rain comes when the seed is planted; the latter rain arrives just before the harvest and is greater than the first. That is why I believe we are living in a new Day of Pentecost – a time of harvest. The Church was born on the Day of Pentecost in fire, and before Jesus returns, I believe we will experience an even greater baptism of fire and power.

For more information on the Ministry of David Hathaway https://www.eurovision.org.uk

Watch the YouTube version: https://youtu.be/Bbf_E6n6DgE 

What God has spoken to me has directed my entire life. He has always given me His timing – revealing things that could only be accomplished at a specific moment in His plan.

For more information on the Ministry of David Hathaway https://www.eurovision.org.uk

Watch the YouTube version https://youtu.be/av7Nru4201g 

This passage reminds us that salvation comes through humility, faith, and complete dependence upon God. Like Peter and the disciples, we are called to leave everything behind to follow Christ, trusting that any sacrifice made for the Gospel will be rewarded both now and in eternity.

Jesus then reveals that the way of salvation is through His coming death and resurrection, yet the disciples still seek positions of honour. In contrast, blind Bartimaeus approaches Jesus with humility and receives mercy. The message is clear: greatness in God's Kingdom belongs not to those seeking status, but to those who faithfully serve, suffer, and follow Christ.

For more information on the Ministry of David Hathaway https://www.eurovision.org.uk

To watch the full video message: https://youtu.be/m4ARTxI7trE 

'Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

'When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit,' (Acts 8.1-8, 14-17).

I want to highlight verses 14-17. When the Apostles heard that the people in Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John; they prayed with the new converts so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. - We have the same issue today, how many are converted and baptised in water, yet have not received the Holy Spirit. Jesus emphasised in Acts 1.8, 'Wait in Jerusalem until you have received the Holy Spirit.' It is the Holy Spirit who empowers the life of the believer; He brings revelation and understanding of the Word of God. All my life, I have wanted the same Holy Ghost empowerment that the early apostles had, I want a baptism of Fire, so that I can see the signs and wonders which Jesus commission us to do. But once we have received the Holy Spirit, the instruction of God is to not let the Fire go out! (Leviticus 6.) Where is the Fire in the Church? 

Watch the YouTube version https://youtu.be/vlGLepZOkU8?si=co33cc635E-B1oxb

For more information on the Ministry of David Hathaway https://www.eurovision.org.uk 

Watch the message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ja1KvtoYSqg 

For more information on the Ministry of David Hathaway https://www.eurovision.org.uk 

I expect miracles to happen, it is normal in a true Christian life! I believe they will happen, and they do, as simple as that. I don’t just believe, I know that when I pray for the sick, people will be healed. I just talk to God – miracles and God go together! Simple! – Nothing complicated. – Nothing difficult. If you want a miracle – ask God, He’ll do it, if you believe that He will!

Our God is about to do great things! His power is on the increase. Biblically God’s power cannot become smaller! At a time of national calamity, Joel 2:21&23 says, ‘Rejoice and be glad, for the Lord is about to do great things – in YOUR nation! ... Be glad, rejoice in your God, because He gave you the former rain moderately, and He will give you the latter rain!’ I know Israel well: the former (first) rain is when they plant the seed, the last rain is just before the harvest and it is greater than the first – that’s why I believe we are living in a new Day of Pentecost (harvest) now! When the church was born on the Day of Pentecost, it was born in fire! And before Jesus comes back, we’re going to have another greater baptism in fire! 

In Matt 3.11 we find John the Baptist preaching repentance in the wilderness. It’s the beginning of his ministry. He says to the crowds, 3.11, “I baptise you with water for repentance, but He that is coming after me is more powerful than I… He will baptise you with the Holy Ghost and Fire!”

Then in Matt 3.13ff, Jesus comes from Galilee to be baptised in the Jordan by John. As He comes up out of the water, the Holy Spirit comes down on Him and a Voice from Heaven announces, “This is My Beloved Son.” 

But Jesus does not commence His ministry straightaway; it struck me that, at this point, John is still the minister, the evangelist, not Jesus, and Jesus is led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matt 4.1. 

But then, by 4.12, Jesus hears that John has been put in prison, his ministry is ended, his work done. Jesus recognises this, leaves Nazareth where He grew up and moves to Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee, so that prophecy would be fulfilled that ‘the people by the sea that were in darkness have seen a great light’. And immediately, 4.17, Jesus starts His ministry and begins to preach – in POWER. I’m intrigued by this by this whole sequence from John to Jesus!

People will follow a leader. Today there’s an emptiness, the youth are searching. And Jesus is the one! The only one! In Matthew 9.27, two blind men heard of all the miracles Jesus had done and they followed Him into the house where He was, crying out, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” Though blind, they recognised the prophetic significance of who Jesus is. Jesus saw their faith, touched their eyes and their eyes where opened.

There are three sources of Power open to us. ONE: you will receive Power after the Holy Spirit is come on you, (Acts 1.8).

TWO: there is Power in our prayer. The prayer of faith will save the sick, James 5.14, and the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man ‘avails much’ - it is the Power that will move mountains! James 5.16. Elijah was no different to us! James 5.17. He prayed there would be no rain in Israel, and there was no rain for three and a half years until he prayed that it would rain. And it did!

From my earliest boyhood I’ve experienced the Power of prayer. I learnt from my father! I’m the product of his powerful prayers. All my life I’ve experienced the Power of answered prayer. There’s corporate prayer, yes, but there’s private prayer when YOU get to grips with God! Still today, through the Holy Spirit, prayer, communication with God, is the source of my power.

THREE: the Power of the Blood. Reading through Corinthians recently, where Paul is writing about the Communion, he says, 1 Cor .10.16, “Is not the cup of Blessing which we bless - the Communion - a participation in the Blood of Christ?” At the Last Supper Jesus told His disciples, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” In Cor 11.23ff, Paul writes, “I received from the Lord what I have passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He said, ‘This is My Body broken for you, do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way after supper, He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My Blood, do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes!”

You can imagine what those Roman officers got up to, believe me! They weren’t normally kind, gentle people, they had the power to be brutal. Yet – and this is very interesting – he says, “I’m not worthy to have You in my house, but SPEAK ONLY A WORD, and my servant will be healed!” He recognised the AUTHORITY Jesus had! Stop here for a moment.

You see, it wasn’t just the centurion who recognised the authority of Jesus, but the ordinary people, back up on that mountain in Chs 5,6 &7, THEY saw the authority He had! You see, the scribes studied and taught ‘from the Book’. But even the ordinary people saw that there’s a vast difference between ‘teaching from the Book’ and speaking with AUTHORITY as Jesus did – not from intellectual study, but from a life lived with practice and experience. Matthew 7.28-29.

'So Apollos and I should be looked upon as Christ’s servants who distribute God’s blessings by explaining God’s secrets. Now the most important thing about a servant is that he does just what his master tells him to. What about me? Have I been a good servant? Well, I don’t worry over what you think about this or what anyone else thinks. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but even that isn’t final proof. It is the Lord himself who must examine me and decide.

'So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether someone is a good servant or not. When the Lord comes, he will turn on the light so that everyone can see exactly what each one of us is really like, deep down in our hearts. Then everyone will know why we have been doing the Lord’s work. At that time God will give to each one whatever praise is coming to him.

'I have used Apollos and myself as examples to illustrate what I have been saying: that you must not have favorites. You must not be proud of one of God’s teachers more than another. What are you so puffed up about? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why act as though you are so great, and as though you have accomplished something on your own?' (1 Corinthians 4.1-7, TLB.)

When you come to Christ, you leave behind worldly things to live in a ‘Christ dimension’ - a dimension so distinct and different from the world we grew up in. That’s why Jesus said you’ve got to be ‘born again’ - come on! You’ve got to die to the old, and, like a new-born, you’ve got to start and learn the basics. That’s why Paul says in v2, “I gave you milk and not meat, because you were not able, and you’re still are not able. You still behave like worldly people do…”

Let’s face it - there are many in the church who live and speak like the world, like they did before they became a Christian… No difference. The biggest problem in Corinth was the strife, envy and division. That’s not Christ. Christ is one. In Him is no division. But some of the people in Corinth were saying, v4, “I follow Paul”, and others were saying, “I follow Apollos.” That’s not of God!

Paul, writing the believers in the pagan city of Corinth, said, 1 Cor 2, “When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you, except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” That’s a powerful statement! I’m sorry to say that today our preachers preach all sorts of things that I would question. 

But Paul is very simple. Though he was a highly educated Jew with Roman citizenship from the city of Tarsus in Asia Minor, though he was a Pharisee, trained to a very high degree in Jewish Scripture, theology, teachings and traditions, and equipped with much ‘eloquence and superior wisdom’ from his studies in Jerusalem - when he came to these Corinthians, he came very simply, resolved to know and preach nothing else, but Christ and His Crucifixion.

This is a challenge to the Church today, because I fear we’ve gone far away from the basics.

1 Corinthians 15 is Paul’s extended teaching on the resurrection, written to correct confusion in the Corinthian church and to anchor their faith in the core of the Gospel.

God’s Name in Hebrew can equally be translated as ‘I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE’, as Biblical Hebrew has no future tense, instead a continuous present. I am whoever I want to be, whatever I want to be, whenever I want to be. Whatever I want and say, I do. I am EVERYTHING. I am EVERYWHERE. Hence the fact that in Exodus 3, God is in the burning bush! And speaks from the fire! But to Elijah God does not speak from the wind, earthquake or fire – but in a still small voice. 

I want you to understand that when we have the Anointing and Power of the Holy Spirit, when the Spirit of the Lord is on us, we have Authority. The reason I was able to do all those crazy things in the former Soviet Union under communism is because I have Authority – from the Holy Spirit! Even the hardened communists, my biggest opponents recognised the Authority that I had. We are Christ’s Ambassadors; in His Name we have ALL the Authority of HIS Kingdom through the Power of the Holy Spirit. Use it!

This is so applicable to us all today. For myself, in 2025, I was looking back over 75 years of full-time ministry. But we’ve got to stop looking back; I’m looking AHEAD to the coming years, to the responsibility and ministry in front of me. Paul says, Phil 3:13-14: Forget those things that are behind… press forward to the goal, to the prize, to the high calling of God!

2 Corinthians 4:1 - this message is for you and for me: “Wherefore, seeing we have this ministry, seeing we have received mercy, we faint not.” We have received mercy, we have received a ministry - so we must not be afraid, we must not faint when we look at the enormity of the task in front! I must not faint when I look at the enormous task that is still in front of me in my ministry. Paul says, v3-4, the devil hides the Gospel from the lost and has blinded them, lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shine on them... But this is the Light we are called to bring to this dark world! 

The Gospel is Good News. This is the key which I want to share with you, all the power of God is in the Gospel we preach. If you want to see miracles, lives changed, the power to work these is in the Gospel. Never neglect the simple Gospel message of Jesus Christ. I have experienced the power of God all my life. 

Today it’s time that we began to rise up and recognise the power and authority that we have in Jesus’ Name. Power to preach a life-changing Gospel, power to bring healing miracles in order that He might receive the glory, and so that we as ‘ordinary’ people might have something dynamic to demonstrate in our lives! When Jesus healed the paralytic man (Matthew 9.6) He said, ‘So that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth... rise up and walk!’ Today we must become men and women of action to continue the demonstration begun by Jesus, so that non-believers will desire to have what we have!

All my life I have wanted to see how far God could/would reveal His Power – if I stepped out in faith. God HAS more miraculous Power available than any living person including Moses, Elijah, David and the Old Testament prophets has YET seen. Even the Apostles and first disciples in the New Testament only tapped the surface.

It’s like a sailor setting out into a vast ocean in a tiny boat – the vastness of God’s Power is unbelievable, greater than anyone can imagine. Why has no one ever realised that, with the Holy Spirit, God’s Power is an unexplored ocean? I’m a sailor, and I want the Holy Spirit to fill the sails of my tiny boat and take me into a spiritual world as yet unknown and unexplored! Like Christopher Columbus, I want to go where no one has ever gone before.

Now, aged 93, I have not reached the limits of God’s Power HERE, ON EARTH! But the faith driving me is not in my head, it’s in my heart. I want to share this passion with you.

‘Where there is no VISION the people perish!’ (Proverbs 29.18, KJV). Only the King James Version is so clear, so blunt. In other languages, in other versions, it’s watered down. But without that VISION of who God really is, you are spiritually DEAD! The Power and the Authority that I have only come through the VISION of KNOWING who God is! 

There have been times in my own life when I have had to experience this dramatic change and transformation. It was never a change of direction. My staff will tell you that what I wrote when I was fifteen in my magazine ‘The Evangelist’, is EXACTLY what I say now. What God put in my heart then, is EXACTLY what God is fulfilling in my life now. So the direction has never changed – but I have had to have the renewing. Without those times when God has stopped me, put me in a prison, laid me aside, cancer, or any other thing – there has had to be that dramatic realisation in my life of the need of change.

God is today saying to the Church EXACTLY what He was saying here to Israel through the prophet Haggai! I want to challenge you, every one of you – who is there still here in Britain (or wherever you are) who saw the Glory of God in this land, who saw the Power of God in the churches, who saw the repentance, who saw the demonstration of the Holy Spirit? I would say to you, what do you see now? Desolation. You don’t hear a call to repentance, you don’t see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I would say to you – the Glory has gone. And God is saying in this Scripture in Haggai, the Glory has departed from the House of God! WE are the House of God. And the Glory has gone! We have got to bring back the Glory and the Power into the House of God!

The more I study the life of Christ, the more I realise the influence and the Power of the Holy Spirit working in Him, in His life and ministry. Just as the disciples had to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came before they could begin their ministry, so Jesus Himself did not begin His powerful public ministry until after He had received the Holy Spirit! Matt 3.16- 17; Mk 1.9-12; Luke 3.21. That same Holy Spirit who was in Christ should be in us! And the Holy Spirit who has begun working in us, will continue until the Day Christ returns!

Balaam was paid by Balak to curse the people of God. But this is what Balaam said, “God is not a man that He should lie, neither a son of man that He should repent (change His mind) – what He said, shall He not do it, and what He has spoken will He not make it happen?!” God cannot lie, He cannot change what He has said. And in the next verse Balaam says, God has blessed, no one can change it! When you have learnt power with God, God will begin to bless your life, your home, your family, your finance, your job – everything about your life! God will bless you. No one can change it, no one can reverse it – your life is under the power and blessing of God!

In these last days God is saying to the church, NOW, “I am prepared to do something greater, bigger, more miraculous than anything that has ever been seen before in the earth, or in the church.” God is about to do the greatest miracles the world has ever seen. He’s going to raise up men like Elijah, men with an anointing to do the greater works than Jesus did! – John 14.12. Why? Because we are living in the days of the return of Christ, when we’re going to see Revival Fire bursting on the church, until we are working and believing and moving into spiritual victory – all in the preparation for the glorious return of Jesus!

I grew up surrounded by what those who had received the Holy Spirit’s Power had achieved – the miracles – the thousands saved. Yet as I read the prophecies of Joel Chapter 2, I sensed there was an even greater Power available – which Joel calls the Latter Rain. But GREATER than the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of the 20th Century, which everyone assumed WAS the Latter Rain.

Aged 14, I had received the Baptism of Fire after a year of prayer and fasting – but in my heart I believed that there was MORE. No one, not even the first disciples had ever seen the real Power I saw in parts of the Old Testament. I wanted to see how much Power the God of the Bible really had, the God who created the whole universe from nothing and formed man from dust. That’s why, in 1961, I risked my life to get to Jerusalem for the Conference on the Day of Pentecost which was to be held for the first time in 2000 years in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. I was simply believing that I could receive what Joel referred to in Chapter 2.

When I first received the Holy Spirit, I had asked for the Gift of Faith – now I wanted to see how far God could/would reveal His Power – if I stepped out in faith. 

My adventure going to Jerusalem in 1961 was the start. Going where no man had gone before. The first in the world to make the unknown and dangerous overland crossing behind the Iron Curtain, through the communist countries and Arab nations on a war-footing with Israel, I received a medal from the Israeli Government when I arrived, and I was on TV when I got home!

Now, aged 93, I have not reached the limits of God’s Power HERE, ON EARTH! But the faith driving me is not in my head, it’s in my heart.

I believe in action. God has called us into the Kingdom, and if you are a born-again, baptised, Spirit-filled believer, God has done that for a reason. God doesn’t save you and call you so that you can sit at ease – we are saved to serve! Not just to have a wonderful life. In the 1960's, God gave me a strong challenge one morning after preaching to my church in Dewsbury: He said, shut up, stop telling others what to do… go out and do it yourself… live by faith, demonstrate it works, then come back and tell others how do it.

The Apostle James wrote, 'Show me your faith by your works.' What do you believe? Even the devil believes in God. We must demonstrate our faith in God by the way we live.

I grew up with George Jeffreys and was dedicated by him as a baby. I knew the miracles in his and in Smith Wigglesworth’s lives. But all my life, I have believed there is more Power available from God than anything yet seen on earth.

James 5.16 says, ‘The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.’ Powerful prayer works! The original Greek of the Bible often uses a special word for power: dunamis – it signifies miraculous, wonder-working power. From it we get the words dynamo (which generates power), and dynamite (the explosive). If you want prayer to work, to change your circumstances, then it must generate power. And it has to be like dynamite. If you put an ordinary explosive against a wall, its energy disperses into space. But dynamite does not dissipate its energy – it pushes the wall down! That’s what our prayer must be like. It’s got to move mountains! We must learn how to talk to God, until our praying will move every mountain, every obstruction, everything that stands between us and the fulfilment of God’s promises. 

I am never afraid because Jesus is with me. My real experiences with God have never been in a church, or in a conference. It was first in my teenage cry for God – then in my cancer – then in my prison that I found God. The next step of power in my ministry began when God touched my life in that prison! 

God is always a God of miracles! Yes, I have experienced the power of God in my life! Not some emotional experience in a conference, but step by step walking closer to God – my teenage cry for fire, the cancer, the prison – and many other problems and miracles. 

What amazes me is the disciples' reaction to the resurrection. Even after walking with Jesus, they were shocked when the tomb was empty. In Matthew’s Gospel, it says there was an earthquake, and angels rolled away the stone. The authorities feared the disciples would steal His body, so they sealed the tomb and posted guards. Yet even with all they’d seen – Jairus’ daughter raised, Lazarus resurrected – they didn’t believe Jesus was alive until they saw Him.

That’s the truth: conviction comes through personal experience. We can believe in God, sure – but so does the devil. What we need is a personal encounter with Jesus.

When Jesus called me to serve Him, aged 15, everything changed.

I was now in the Fifth Form in Selhurst Grammar School, Croydon; it was to be my last year before I left school. For some reason they had separ- ated my twin brother and myself, so it was just me in that particular class. I remember that year very clearly; for our weekly religious lesson, we had a master who was what one might call a ‘modernist’. He denied that the miracles in the Bible happened; he didn’t even believe in the miracle of Creation but leaned to Darwin’s theory of evolution. This upset and annoyed me very much, because I had been brought up to believe in God as Creator of Heaven and Earth and to accept the Bible totally – with all the miracles.   Week after week I challenged him on the Authority and Divine Inspiration of the Bible. One of my favourite texts was, ‘All Scripture is given by inspiration from God.’ Every week I would counter him with Scripture, and if I didn’t know the an- swer I would go home and ask my father, who could always find the correct verses to help me. The boys in my class seemed to enjoy this, as we were the only class in school that never followed the curriculum; the whole Scripture lesson consisted of my arguments with the teacher. At the end of just one term, he came to me and suggested that we start Bible study and prayer in the school. I’m sure that he had accepted Christ, as every lesson I always brought in a clear call to salvation. Later I also found that two boys in the class went on to become preachers of the Gospel.

As well as bringing the Truth of the Bible to my teacher in my last year at school, I kept up my preaching to the boys in the playground – I was a real ‘Hell-Fire’ preacher. In fact, I was so strong, and I have never forgotten, that two of my school friends, rejecting my offer of salvation, shook hands and declared that they would go to hell together.

'Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak. She said to herself, ‘If I only touch His cloak, I will be healed.’

'Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,’ He said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed at that moment.

'When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and the people playing pipes, He said, ‘Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.’ But they laughed at Him. After the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region.' (Matthew 9.18-24, NIV)

For those of us who know the Bible this story seems so simple but yet I feel that it touches all of our lives. I want you to understand why these stories were written. Firstly, these were actual incidents that happen in the life of Jesus, they were not parables or illustrations: they were things that actually happened. What occurred here was totally unexpected because Jesus was on his way to do something else – the ruler of the synagogue in that town had come to Jesus to ask him to heal his daughter. Yet somehow in the middle of the journey, this desperate woman intrudes into the scene. You can understand her position, lonely, desperate for a miracle. It is not so different today, people tired of the formality of religion, of the moral uncertainty created by the state, of the inexorable slide into moral chaos, of their own hopelessness, need Jesus.

These were the words of Jesus – to us – at the end of His ministry. It was the feast of Passover. And Jesus– John 13.1 – knowing that His Hour was come that He would depart from this world to the Father begins to speak to His disciples powerfully. He says, “NOW is the judgment of this world!” John 12.31. He said clearly: two thousand years ago, the judgment of the world began! And, He adds, “The prince of this world WILL be cast out!” When Jesus is talking about ‘the prince of this world’ He’s talking about Satan. 

Jesus says, in John 14.30, “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world comes – and has nothing in Me.” The devil has no hold over Him! This is such a strong statement! No hold over Jesus – and for those of us ‘in’ Jesus, the devil has no power over us!

Mark 11 is so revolutionary, so powerful, it has changed my life! We must learn how to talk to God, until our praying will move every mountain, every obstruction, everything that stands between us and the fulfilment of God’s promises. 

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, ‘This fellow is blaspheming!’

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, ‘Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the paralysed man, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’ Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man. (Matthew 9.1-8, NIV)

'At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”

'Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralysed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.' (Matthew 9.1-8, NIV)

This miracle in Matthew 9 started with the fact that Jesus ‘saw their faith’. We see this so many times in the four Gospels, and particularly in this chapter. We see a dead girl raised from the dead after a woman, who had been bleeding for 12 years, touched His garment and was healed. Her faith was so strong, she didn’t need Him to respond, just reaching out and secretly touching His coat would bring the miracle! She believed her touch, not His, would heal her. This was an incredible demonstration of faith.

Both times with my cancers, I prayed for 3 months before I got my miracle, but I didn’t give up. I had simple faith, reaching out to Jesus, KNOWING THE MIRACLE WILL HAPPEN. It’s a question of what is your faith? Some Christians who come to me for healing have been prayed for so many times before without result. But you see, I’m not a ‘healer’. In every meeting when I pray for the sick, I always emphasise, I am NOT A HEALER! Jesus is! I can’t heal anybody, but I have the faith to know that HE, Jesus, can!

Your faith HAS to be that God will work the miracle.

What am I saying? Jesus Himself linked salvation and healing when He asked, “Which is easier, to say your sin is forgiven, or to say, get up and walk?!” ONLY God can forgive sin, only God can heal. But salvation is a miracle MORE IMPORTANT than the healing. 

When Jesus told the sick man, “Get up and walk” He did not simply demonstrate His Power to heal, but through the healing He was demonstrating His Power to forgive sin, and that ONLY through Him can forgiveness of sin and salvation come! The Bible is clear, there is no other name under Heaven by which we may be saved, except through the Name of Jesus.

'An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless – not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it...

'For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

'These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.' (Titus 1.6-9; 2.11-15, NIV)

'But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

'But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. (2 Peter 3.3-10, NIV)

However the conclusion that I have come to after 90 plus years, is that this world is a battle ground. On one side is a God of love, who not only created us for a purpose, but was willing to sacrifice His own Son to rescue us from our own follies; on the other side is a very evil spirit, determined to control the world by subversion and encourage men to create their own destruction.

2 Peter 2 delivers a strong warning against those who do wrong and encourage others to follow them in doing evil. Peter says false teachers will arise among believers. He compares them to false prophets from Israel’s past, explaining that they will introduce destructive heresies, deny Jesus, and exploit people with deceptive words. Their actions lead others into sin, and they bring disrepute to the truth.

Peter assures that God will judge these evildoers, just as He judged the ancient world during Noah’s time and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. However, God also knows how to rescue the godly, as seen with Lot.

'For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty. He received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

'We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.' (2 Peter 1.12-21, NIV)

'You younger men, follow the leadership of those who are older. And all of you serve each other with humble spirits, for God gives special blessings to those who are humble, but sets himself against those who are proud. If you will humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, in his good time he will lift you up.

'Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.' (1 Peter 5.1-7, TLB)

Dear friends, don’t be bewildered or surprised when you go through the fiery trials ahead, for this is no strange, unusual thing that is going to happen to you. Instead, be really glad—because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterwards you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory in that coming day when it will be displayed. (1 Peter 4, TLB)

Introduction (1.1-2) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, addresses his letter to believers scattered across various regions. He emphasises that they are chosen by God, sanctified by the Spirit, and saved through Jesus Christ.

A Living Hope (1.3-12) Peter praises God for giving believers a "living hope" through Jesus’ resurrection. He reminds them that their inheritance in heaven is imperishable. Though they may face trials, their faith is being refined like gold. He highlights that salvation is something even prophets and angels longed to understand.

Call to Holiness (1.13-21) Peter urges believers to prepare their minds for action, be sober-minded, and set their hope fully on God's grace. Since God is holy, they must also live holy lives. He reminds them that they were redeemed not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ.

Love and Obedience (1.22-25) Believers are called to sincere love for one another, as they have been born again through the living and enduring Word of God. He quotes Isaiah, emphasising that while human life is fleeting, God's Word lasts forever.

Suppose God answered my first prayers and released me from the prison within one or two days, what would have happened? Imagine if God had organised things ‘extremely well’ and got me out of prison really quickly – I would not be evangelising in Russia the way I do now, I would not have the ministry I have today. The longer I stayed in the prison, the bigger the miracle became – in the end it was the British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, who came to Czechoslovakia, just to get me out! I was not thrown out of the ‘back door’! I was released in a blaze of publicity! That’s God! But the whole miracle took one year to prepare. I didn’t let go of God even in the darkest days of despair – I knew, I believed – but it hurt and it was hard. If only you could know how bad those days I spent in prison were!

When I had cancer in my throat and asked God for healing, the devil said it was impossible. I fought unbelief and doubt so that when the answer came, it was an even greater miracle than I had asked for! When I was in prison for Bible smuggling, I fought against the demons of despair, fear, unbelief – and when the final answer came, it was many times greater than I had imagined in my wildest dream!  

It’s the same with you. Hold on. Don’t let go of God! God WILL do it! If it takes three months, three years, God WILL do it.

I have seen the power of God in an incredible way. From childhood, I wanted every day and every part of my life to be under the direction and control of the Holy Spirit. Now when I look back over 75 years of ministry I know with absolute certainty that there has been both purpose and direction in my life. God has been in control of all my days and all my experiences. Everything that has happened in my life was foreknown in His plan.

I shall never forget the dramatic and exciting evangelism we held in Yambol, Bulgaria, before communism finally fell there. It was August. The music group Vinesong and I arrived the day before the opening. What could we do? Nothing? No!!! So without permission, we decided to hold an open-air service in the big square in front of the Communist Party Headquarters in Yambol! This city of 100,000 had never witnessed such scenes before! As darkness fell the beautiful worship music drew the crowds. But when Vinesong sang in Bulgarian, ‘I bow the knee to Jesus’ – the whole crowd, 10,000 strong, knelt in prayer with their hands raised in worship and acceptance of Christ! Even the communist police on duty took off their hats, and the Communist Party Flag, which until then had been fluttering bravely in the breeze, hung down limp as if it too was bowing before the Name of Jesus!

What a tremendous start it was to the conference and evangelism! The morning and afternoon teaching sessions in the sports stadium were filled with people hungry for the Word of God – and packed for the evening evangelism with 7,000 crowded in, people standing, 2,000 repenting… For four days, we witnessed the mighty Power of God, not only in conversions, but also in mighty miracles of healing. Night after night crutches were thrown onto the platform as people were delivered and walked out free. The blind, the deaf, the sick – all were healed. Revival swept from there – we travelled by road in broken down communist cars from church to church to church – the Power of God was falling – no time seemingly to eat, sleep or even drink a cup of tea! For two years the Holy Spirit moved across the whole of Bulgaria! Eighty new churches were opened as a direct result of that evangelism!” 

When the Holy Spirit filled that early church, a boldness came on them, they lost their fear, they preached the Word – like Philip in Acts 8.5-8,14. Every time they were filled with the Holy Spirit, miracles happened! When the apostles prayed for the new converts, power came on them! If you are not seeing miracles, get a fresh baptism! Read the Acts of the Apostles! It is the story of a transformed church, a church motivated, with a purpose, on fire with the power of the Holy Spirit! The Word of God says, Jesus will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire! Church, where is the fire, the boldness, the miracles today? 

This question of a ‘baptism of fire’ is not a matter just for the church collectively, but rather it is an individual experience that each one of us needs to experience. Jesus, speaking to His closest disciples in the aftermath of the drama of the crucifixion and the miracle of His resurrection realises the situation facing them. They realise that despite these miraculous events He is leaving them again, until His final return as Messiah! They now face a leadership crisis – they need inspiration, direction, but most of all someone who will perform the miracles and empower them!

His answer was for them to wait in Jerusalem for the gift promised by the Father – “John baptised with water but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” Later, as they questioned the meaning, His answer was simple, “When the Holy Spirit comes, you will receive power and become witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth!” Wow! Then He was gone! (Acts 1.4-9.)

This was a serious lesson which changed my whole life – and it remains with me: “Without the Holy Spirit I can do nothing!” I realised I needed the Fire and Power of the Holy Spirit in order to see lives transformed. If lives are not changed, what is the point of preaching? 

How much Holy Spirit do you want? 100 percent? How much self?!! Aged 13, God told me to empty myself of everything, of all my ideas and hopes. I was crying out, “I need this Holy Spirit, I need fire, I need power, I need God, I need Jesus, I need the Holy Spirit! God, fill me, fill me, fill me!” A few days before my 14th birthday, I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, it was a powerful experience, a revolution in my life. It did not come lightly. When it came, it came ‘direct from source’. From that moment on, I began to see people repent and lives changed under the Power of the Holy Spirit. And every day, to this very day, I ask for a new infilling of the Holy Spirit, a new gift of faith.

When I was just 15 years old, with a group of young Christians walking along the beach in Brighton, when the Lord spoke to me, drew me aside and challenged me. A spiritual battle started in my life. I knew that the Lord was calling me, challenging me, ‘David – I want YOU!’ But the devil was saying, ‘Don’t you realise you’re saved, you got baptised in water, filled with the Holy Spirit – that’s enough!’ But God was saying, ‘David, I want YOU, all of you, EVERYTHING! – Your life, your family, your time, your house, every single thing – I want the lot!’ I had no peace until that night I gave Him everything.

Give Jesus everything! The more I give Him, the more I receive in return! Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over. That is why God says, the only ‘reasonable’ thing is to present your body as a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable to God! – And this is only the beginning, the ‘norm’, the ‘reasonable’ bit! I want the un-reasonable, extra-normal! I don’t just want to receive the Holy Spirit like everybody else, I want a double portion, a treble portion, ten times, a hundred times more! I’m hungry for God! I need that anointing, that power! Jesus told of the servant who did what was ‘reasonable’ – everything that was expected of him, but the master did not thank him – it was expected of him! But I want to receive! I’m hungry. I’m thirsty. The more you give, the more God gives back! I remember that tremendous challenge, when God said to me, ‘David, I want YOU!’ That night, I had to say, ‘Lord, I give You everything!’

Prayer is essential to our Christian lives. I learnt to pray as a boy. I learnt to be specific in my praying. You must target a goal and achieve it. I saw the absolute necessity to back everything we do in prayer, but having prayed, you must do something! Prayer and action go together!”

From my boyhood, soon after I became a Christian, I have had the same vision in my heart that David in the Bible had. The testimony recorded of David in the Bible is that he was a ‘man after God’s own heart’ – he had the same heart God has! (1 Samuel 16.7; Acts 13.22.) David is the ONLY man in the Bible of whom God says, ‘He is a man after My own heart.’ And this was David’s vision, his heart, these are his words in Psalm 63.1-2, ‘O God, You are my God, early will I seek You, my soul thirsts for You, longs for You, in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water – TO SEE YOUR POWER AND YOUR GLORY – as I have seen You in the sanctuary!’ (KJV.) David in the Old Testament had seen the Power of God in the sanctuary – but he wanted to see it openly, here, on earth! 

“All through my early days, before I became a pastor, an evangelist, all the time I was growing up, when I was in school, when I was in church, this was the most important verse in my whole life! I said what David in the Bible said, ‘O God, You are my God, I will seek for You from the early part of my life, I will search You out, O God, wherever You are, in Heaven, on earth, I will search for You, O God! I want to know who You are, I want to find You!’ – I spent my youth searching for God, not because I was not a Christian, since I became a Christian when I was 8 years old. But when I became a Christian, I didn’t want to be a ‘normal’ Christian – I was searching for the truth, the reality, the Power and Glory of God! I wanted to find the God of the Bible, the God of Heaven, I wanted to KNOW Him! All my life I have searched for God’s Power and His Glory! It was the dream of David the shepherd boy to see the Glory of God here, on earth! It’s my dream too!”

(Recorded at Sozo Youth Conference, Central Asia)

Let’s look at the story of Elijah when he called down Fire from Heaven. Although I would normally major on the Fire that fell, I want to first look at 1 Kings 17.1. Because of the wickedness and idolatry of King Ahab, Elijah says to him, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, the rain and the dew will be stopped and there will be no more – until I give the word!”

'Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

'Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.' (1 John 3, NIVUK.)

Chapter Two of John’s letter begins with a sense of danger, John is troubled: “My little children, I WRITE TO YOU THAT YOU SIN NOT.” He’s possibly writing even as much as 100 years after the birth of Christ, so he’s an old man – which entitles him to address his readers as ‘little children’… But maybe here he’s also addressing some who are still ‘spiritually children’. What he says relates to anyone of us today, but in this case I am sensing John is writing particularly to Jewish people who had become followers of Christ; Jews, who when they believed, had accepted something that had been ‘hidden’ from them in their Jewish Law/Scriptures, something so completely new to them, they are  now finding it hard to fully accept, and that is: JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD, HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH HAS PAID THE FULL PRICE OF SIN!

John’s First Letter starts: “That which was from the Beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have touched, the Word of Life – this Life has appeared, and we have seen it and testify to it…” He’s talking about Jesus!

John’s description of his time with Jesus is so very clear and emotional. It’s real. The message of Jesus is reality. John is saying, I’ve seen it, heard it, touched it! In my life – and this year I’m celebrating 75 years in ministry – it’s my testimony too. No, I’ve never seen Jesus, never spent time with Him like the disciples did. Yet in my ministry, I’ve ‘seen’ it, ‘touched’ it – it’s been so real to me. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh! John writes, “The Word of Life – what we have seen and heard, we declare to you!” John says, “The LIFE appeared, we’ve seen Him, we testify to it, we proclaim to you the ETERNAL LIFE which was with the Father.” Yes, what John is saying, is that Jesus IS ETERNAL LIFE!

'Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived? Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?

'You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other. From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength, to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.

'Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.' (Deuteronomy 4.29-40, NIV.)

If you only knew what's about to happen, you would so excited! God is exciting me because I see in the Word what He's about to do now. The greatest Glory, the greatest Power, the greatest ministry, the greatest miracle ... we're going to see miracles of healing we have never seen in our lives. I'm excited - we're going to be saying exactly what Deuteronomy 4 says, "Ask of the days that are past, go back, ask history, go back to the Welsh Revival, to the days of Smith Wigglesworth, George Jeffries - I was brought up with that - go back to the beginning of time since the day God created man on the earth, ask every saint and say, "Has God ever done anything such as He's going to do today in the Church?" That's the excitement!

The world has to see God’s power! He’s a God of power and authority, a God who enables me to do exploits! Jesus said to His disciples, “You see the miracles I do, but when I go to Heaven, you’re going to do bigger!” (John 14.12.) Are you seeing bigger miracles than Jesus? But that’s what we need! We need a baptism of fire and power! The fire of God, the power of God – that’s the challenge. God has called us to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and do exploits! There is a song, ‘God raised me up to stand on mountains, He raised me up to walk on stormy seas’ – God raised YOU up to stand on mountains, He raised YOU up to walk on stormy seas! God raised YOU up to heal the sick, raise the dead, work miracles and preach the Gospel – and He sent the Holy Spirit to do this through YOU! When you’ve got the Holy Ghost, God does everything! – Because it’s the Holy Spirit who gives you the gift of faith to do it! 

When everything’s going well, when you’re not sick, when you have no financial problems – you don’t call upon God as much. But when you are in difficulty, when you’re sick – that’s when you begin to call on God more intensely. I have had long years of experience with God and I know personally that I learned more about prayer when I had cancer, when I was in prison, when I had financial problems, than at any other time! Prayer becomes more urgent when there is no other way – no alternative. When I had both experiences of cancer there were two ways – an operation or a miracle! I chose to go the hard way of asking and believing for a miracle – but this meant a total commitment – not accepting ‘no’. When I was in the prison, there were two alternatives: either accept the inevitability of five-to-ten years incarceration or ‘barnstorm’ Heaven until I got out! That’s not holiness, it’s just following the prayer principles Jesus laid down for desperate widows and people like me! – Luke 18.1-8. 

In 2016 I faced a tremendous challenge. I went to bring Jesus as Messiah to 4,000 people – but if you evangelise openly in Israel, you are arrested and they tear up your visa. The challenge was to take the big Roman Amphitheatre in Caesarea on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea and to fill it with 4,000 Jews. It was testing even my faith! 

‘This is the burden which Habakkuk the prophet received’ – and this is his complaint – “How long O Lord must I call for help and You do not listen? Or cry out to You of violence, but You do not save? Why do You make me look at injustice, why do You tolerate wrong?! Destruction and violence are before me, strife and conflict abound…”’

This describes much of the world right now! So many nations simultaneously are facing violence, stress, civil unrest, war…Even in Britain this August, violence on the streets… The same in Europe. As I write in Summer 2024, the Russian terror war against Ukraine continues. The Bangladeshi Prime Minister, a woman, had to flee by helicopter to escape the violence in her country. There’s war between Israel and the Palestinians. Changes of government everywhere…

In v5, God answers the prophet, ‘“Look at the nations, watch – and be utterly amazed! For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told!”’

What changes nations is not some new teaching or doctrine. No, it is the simplicity of God’s Word, the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Today we are in danger of underestimating the power of God, and that’s why Paul said, “I’m not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because it is the power of God!”

I see the power of the Gospel in action – and I want you to understand the effectiveness of true conversion! Our faith is in God through Jesus Christ, and in the authority of His Word. Our Gospel has unlimited power to completely deliver and change men! Until you have such an absolute, powerful experience in your own life – that there is no uncertainty, no hesitation that there is one way only, one price, one salvation, complete and life-changing – you cannot demonstrate Christ to the unbelievers! When you yourself have this absolute experience of total salvation in your own life – then this is the demonstration of the Power of the Gospel!

‘The Gospel of Christ is the Power of God’ (Romans 1.16). Evangelism should be part of our spiritual walk with God. If I ask you what are the essentials for every Christian, especially new converts, to do, you would quickly tell me – pray every day – read the Word every day – join a real live church. Water baptism and so on would quickly follow, along with serving God, fellowship with the saints and of course to be filled with the Spirit. I would add to this, evangelise – but not the way so many think of evangelism or evangelists. The Gospel is simply the good news. Your first responsibility after conversion is to spread the wonderful news of what God has done for you! 

Acts 2.22-36 describes how Jesus was approved of God through the miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through Him. The Power in the Gospel is indelibly linked with the miraculous. Throughout Jesus' ministry in the Gospels, and then with the disciples in the book of Acts, we read that it was the miracles which was the evidence of the message they preached. In 1994 I was preaching in Khabarovsk, Siberia. The Crusade on the Saturday night saw us under a powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit, and many hundreds crowded into the open-air of the football stadium as the praise and worship team ministered. Then when I made the appeal almost every person came forward, so many, that surely everyone who had come into that stadium, lonely, lost, without faith or hope, and without Christ, found Him that night. Their hopelessness and despair had changed into the glory of the reality of knowing Him who loved us with a dying and undying love.

James 5.16 says the ‘effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails.’ This is the forceful, powerful prayer of an ‘ordinary’ righteous man! It works! The original Greek New Testament has two words for power: energeo and dunamis. Our praying HAS to be strong! It must generate effective energy like a dynamo and like dynamite – an explosive that, when placed against a wall, does not waste its energy on the air, but pushes the hard obstacle down! In coal mining they use it to blast tunnels through solid rock!

James is giving us a powerful description of what prayer should be like! It should have an objective, either to generate energy like a dynamo, or like dynamite, to break and remove the obstacle! This is how I see and use prayer in my ministry, and why I see so many unusual miracles.

This does not mean that my ordinary, everyday prayer for my family and daily circumstances changes, no. But this is my fighting, overcoming, face-to-face-with-God call for Power! That’s when the miracles happen!

'Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you ill? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

'Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.' (James 5.13-18, NIV.)

The whole world is shaking, whether that is political division in UK, USA, Europe and elsewhere, or the wars in Ukraine and now Israel; we are living in turmoil. I believe we are closer to the return of Christ than many imagine. Jesus opens chapter 14 saying, "Let not your heart be troubled - believe in Me - I'm going to prepare a place for you." 

Peter, only in the previous chapter had said, "Lord, why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You." We all must lay down our lives for the call of Christ; to follow Him is to take up the cross. Taking up our cross is identification with Christ in His suffering and resurrection. It's not half-hearted commitment; it is full surrender in discipleship. It's the decision to live our lifes as 'crucified with Christ'. 

The Book of Acts of the Apostles is a New Testament book that chronicles the early history of the Christian church after Jesus' resurrection and ascension. Written by Luke, it serves as a sequel to the Gospel of Luke and focuses on the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome. It begins with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which empowers the apostles, particularly Peter and Paul, to preach the Gospel. The book details their missionary journeys, the growth of the church, and the challenges faced, including persecution and internal disputes. Acts highlights the inclusion of Gentiles into the Christian community, showcasing the church's expansion beyond its Jewish roots.

These chapters describe Paul's harrowing sea journey, his miraculous survival, and his final arrival in Rome, where he continues his ministry while awaiting trial before Caesar.

Acts 27: Paul’s Journey and Shipwreck Paul is sent to Rome under the guard of a centurion named Julius, along with other prisoners. They board a ship heading toward Italy, but the journey is difficult due to bad weather. They stop at several ports, eventually reaching Fair Havens on the island of Crete. Paul warns the crew that further sailing would be dangerous, but the captain and crew decide to continue the journey. A violent storm (called a "northeaster") hits, driving the ship off course for two weeks. Everyone aboard begins to lose hope of survival. Paul reassures the crew, telling them that an angel appeared to him, promising that everyone will survive, but the ship will be lost. After several days of drifting, the ship approaches an unknown land. They attempt to reach the shore, but the ship runs aground and begins to break apart. The soldiers plan to kill the prisoners to prevent escape, but Julius, wanting to spare Paul, stops them. All 276 people on board survive the shipwreck and swim to the shore.

Acts 28: Paul in Malta and Rome The survivors land on the island of Malta. The locals show them great hospitality. While gathering wood for a fire, Paul is bitten by a viper, but he shakes it off and suffers no harm, astonishing the onlookers, who first thought he would die, but then consider him a god. Paul heals the father of Publius, the island's chief official, and other sick people on the island. The people of Malta honor them and provide supplies for their journey. After three months on Malta, Paul and the others board another ship and eventually reach Rome. In Rome, Paul is allowed to live under house arrest, guarded by a soldier but free to receive visitors. He calls together the local Jewish leaders and explains his situation, affirming that he is not against the Jewish people or their customs but is imprisoned because of the hope of Israel—the resurrection. Some of the Jews are convinced by Paul’s message, while others reject it. Paul spends two years in Rome, continuing to preach the kingdom of God and teach about the Lord Jesus Christ without hindrance.

These chapters cover Paul’s trials, his defence of his faith, and the hardships he faces as he heads to Rome to appeal his case before Caesar.

Acts 24: Paul's Trial before Felix Paul is brought to trial before Governor Felix in Caesarea. The Jewish leaders accuse him of stirring up unrest among the Jews and defiling the temple. Paul defends himself, explaining that he came to Jerusalem to worship, not cause trouble. He also asserts that he believes in the resurrection of the dead, which aligns with the Pharisees’ beliefs. Felix postpones the trial, often summoning Paul to hear him speak, hoping for a bribe. Paul remains imprisoned for two years under Felix's authority.

Acts 25: Paul's Appeal to Caesar Festus succeeds Felix as governor and reopens Paul's case. The Jewish leaders again bring charges against Paul, asking Festus to transfer him to Jerusalem, intending to ambush and kill him on the way. Festus suggests another trial in Caesarea, but Paul, knowing he won’t get a fair trial, appeals to Caesar (as a Roman citizen, he has the right to do so). Festus consults with King Agrippa II, who expresses interest in hearing Paul’s defence.

Acts 26: Paul's Defence before Agrippa Paul presents his case before King Agrippa, Bernice, and Festus. Paul recounts his life before his conversion, his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, and his mission to spread the Gospel. He emphasizes that his preaching aligns with the Jewish scriptures and prophecies about the Messiah’s suffering and resurrection. Agrippa is moved but not persuaded to convert. He declares that Paul could have been released if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.

Acts 27: Paul's Journey to Rome Paul, under guard, is sent by ship to Rome, along with other prisoners. The voyage is difficult due to bad weather. Paul warns the crew that further travel will be dangerous, but they ignore him. A violent storm hits, and they are driven off course for days. Paul reassures everyone that God has promised his safe arrival in Rome, though the ship will be wrecked. The crew finally shipwrecks on the island of Malta, but all 276 people on board survive, as Paul had foretold.

Summary of the events in this passage: Acts 22.25–30, Paul's Roman Citizenship:  As Paul is about to be flogged, he reveals his Roman citizenship, which grants him certain legal protections. The Roman authorities are alarmed, realizing that they have unlawfully bound a Roman citizen without a trial. Consequently, they refrain from flogging him and decide to bring him before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council.

Acts 23.1–10, Before the Sanhedrin:  Paul addresses the Sanhedrin and creates division between the Pharisees and Sadducees by declaring his belief in the resurrection of the dead—a belief held by the Pharisees but rejected by the Sadducees. The resulting dispute becomes so intense that the Roman commander intervenes to protect Paul.

Acts 23.11–22, Plot to Kill Paul:  The following night, the Lord encourages Paul, telling him that he must testify in Rome. Meanwhile, more than 40 Jews plot to kill Paul, vowing not to eat or drink until they succeed. Paul's nephew overhears the plot and informs Paul and the Roman commander, who arranges for Paul's transfer to the governor Felix in Caesarea for his safety.

Acts 23.23–35, Transfer to Caesarea:  Paul is escorted by a large contingent of Roman soldiers to Caesarea to be presented before Governor Felix. The letter from the Roman commander explains the circumstances of Paul's arrest and the unsubstantiated accusations against him.

Acts 24.1–27, Trial before Felix:  In Caesarea, Paul is accused by the Jewish leaders and their lawyer, Tertullus, of causing unrest and desecrating the temple. Paul defends himself, denying the charges and affirming his faith in the resurrection. Felix, familiar with the Way (early Christianity), postpones the decision, keeping Paul in custody for two years while frequently conversing with him, hoping for a bribe.

Acts 25.1–20, Transfer to Festus:  After Felix is succeeded by Festus, the Jewish leaders renew their charges against Paul and request his transfer to Jerusalem, intending to ambush him en route. Festus, however, insists on a trial in Caesarea. Paul, realising he won’t get a fair trial, exercises his right as a Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar. Festus consults with King Agrippa II and explains the case, expressing uncertainty about the charges against Paul.

The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. The crowd that followed kept shouting, ‘Get rid of him!’

As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, ‘May I say something to you?’

‘Do you speak Greek?’ he replied. ‘Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?’

Paul answered, ‘I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.’

After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic. (Acts 21.27-40, NIV)

When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’ (Acts 21.10-14, NIV)

Desperately seeking God’s answer from Scripture, I was reading from Jeremiah 33.6, ‘I will bring health and healing’; and Jeremiah 33.20-21, ‘I will not break my covenant with David’; and Psalm 89:35, ‘I will not lie to David’; and ‘Is anything impossible with God?’ (Jeremiah 32:17&27). 

On the Monday I was in the hospital, tubes down my lung looking for cancer – but God had already given me the answer, I knew it was gone. The doctors looked at me in amazement and said, ‘You have no cancer!’

I didn’t go to a healing evangelist, I went to the Word of God and God completely healed me – no operation, no treatment – I only had God and the Bible, and that’s all I needed to confound the doctors. They were shocked, they didn’t believe God. But I do, I believe in a God of power, of miracles. This was in 2003, and 21 years later, aged 92, God has kept His promise: I have health! 

Later in the same chapter, the prophet Jeremiah writes, 'I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against Me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me, (33.8, NIV). This verse shows how closely linked healing and forgiveness are. God has the power to heal you, but first He wants to forgive your sin. 

‘Ah, Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you!' (Jeremiah 32.17, NIV)

In 1994 God told me, ‘Go and evangelise the whole of Siberia!’ Siberia is fifty-two times the size of Great Britain, four times North America! Four hundred team members; one hundred tonnes of equipment; seventeen crusades, each crusade seventeen days; I had to preach in every crusade; we were there for three months. We had no money, people laughed at me, ‘It’s impossible!’ But God told me to go! We went – God gave us the money and He worked the miracles! But too often we fail to go in and possess the land! Faith is only faith when it’s tested. When God says, ‘Do it!’, you must obey Him.

Without the miracle-working Power of the Holy Spirit, the whole project would have failed! Not just the numbers of souls saved, not just the miracles of healing – but miracles of provision of every sort – from the provision of hundreds of thousands of Bibles to give to every new convert at a cost to the ministry of only 6.5 pence per copy – to miracles of transport – planes where there were no planes – every kind of miracle. Every day in Siberia was a miracle from beginning to end. 

In one city, because of the Orthodox priest, we could not use the auditorium that night, we had to preach in the street – so we put our loudspeakers in the best place in town – around Lenin’s statue! The priest sent a male witch, a shaman, who called evil spirits to destroy the meeting. He summoned an electric storm – these men have power – and as he came towards me, a great wind followed him and big drops of rain started to fall. I took authority, bound the power of the devil in him – saying ‘My Jesus is Lord and has more Power than you do!’

Suddenly a flash of lightning struck the man, he fell to the ground stunned, then staggered to his feet and ran back down the street – and the rain storm followed him against the wind! I have never seen such a thing in my life before! Jesus has Power over the wind and the rain today, not just in Galilee 2,000 years ago! In that town there’s a good pastor, a strong church, they’re on fire, and they’re training evangelists to win Russia for Christ!

If we want to possess God’s promises in our lives, we must be practical. It takes faith to put the vision into action – prayer to move the mountains – and obedience to receive the Holy Spirit’s power that will enable us to do the job. Leave the questions to Him to solve – do what He says! The Bible says, ‘To obey is better than sacrifice’ (1 Samuel 15:22).

I challenge you to begin to act in the power and authority of your faith. So many times I have had to face the impossible and seen God move in power, and I challenge you to begin to do it yourself! If we really knew our God and had a vision of Him, we would attempt the impossible and take the land! It is only this kind of vision which obeys in faith that will win the unbelieving nations and people, today.

I know from the Bible, nothing is impossible, but in order to receive, there must be a building process, a growing in faith, not giving up – this is when you must fast and pray and believe that God WILL do it! To receive that kind of faith which will work a miracle in your own life, you must be totally convinced: a) that nothing is impossible with your God; b) that He wants to work that miracle in you; c) that you know when!

I was healed from lung cancer twenty years ago, but I was sick for months before I came to the spiritual place with God where the miracle happened – months of spiritual growth, followed by a sudden revelation – an explosion – and in that moment the healing was instantaneous! 

For us to become a Christian, to know the power of God, we have to be born into the Kingdom of God. Of course the ruler asked, "How can someone be born when they are old? Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!" Jesus responded, "No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." (John 3.)

We receive this new life through repentance: 'Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptised, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' (Acts 2.38, Amplified). 

If you put your trust in God, every kind of miracle is possible, not just healing, but whatever you need. Our God answers prayer – and He works miracles. I have seen every kind of miracle you can imagine: people born blind – God opens their eyes; broken backs – mended; cancers – healed; cripples – get out of wheelchairs. I’ve seen miracles that are not healing: financial provision; my own miraculous release from prison, and many others besides. I know these miracles will happen when I pray; I don’t have any question about it. It’s no different from knowing that every morning the sun will get out of bed and show itself at my window. God works miracles every day – but it’s for us to believe that He can, and will in our lives. This is where faith becomes so important. I would describe the word ‘faith’ in simple terms as ‘trust’, or ‘belief’. I know God and have learned to trust the God I know! That is all faith is!

'Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralysed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, ‘This fellow is blaspheming!’

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, ‘Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the paralysed man, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’ Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.' (Matthew 9.1-8, NIV)

Only Jesus can forgive sin. The crowds knew that Jesus could heal the sick; they had seen Him do this many times before. But Jesus came to seek and save the lost. This is why this miracle in Matthew 9 is so important. Jesus wanted to demonstrate that not only did He have the power to heal the sick, but He has power to forgive our sins. Forgiveness is the greatest miracle we can ever receive. Without this forgivess, there is no salvation and hope of heaven. I accepted Christ as my Saviour at the age of 7 years and 11 months because I knew that if I did not accept Him in my life I could not enter Heaven. I took this decision alone in my bed, because the conviction of the Holy Spirit was so strong I could not sleep. I knew that if Jesus were to come back that night, my parents and my twin brother would go to be with the Lord, but I would be left. I knew Jesus was coming back, but only for those who have found personal salvation through faith in Him. That night I had to obey Him. Without Him, life at the age of 7 years and 11 months was meaningless! 

If you want to see miracles, if you want to spend eternity in heaven, first you need to know who Jesus is. The reality of our relationship with Christ is not in repeating prayers and phrases, it’s in knowing Him. I talk to Him, He talks to me! The Bible is very clear: through Jesus Christ, you and I have direct access to God! We don’t come through anybody else, He is our only mediator! Because of Jesus, we can know God in a way that the Old Testament believers never could – we have direct access to Him as our Father only through Jesus! This is the miracle of salvation: whoever you are – the widow, the single parent, the sick; however poor, however weak; the drug addict, the alcoholic, the criminal – we all have direct access to God through Christ; we have been adopted into His family. God is only a prayer away – He loves you – He wants to talk to you.

When people read about the miracles in the Bible and hear what God is doing around the world, they often ask, “Are these miracle healings real? – And if so, can God heal me?”

Before you read further, let me remind you that I have experienced two outstanding personal miracles of healing from cancer, both confirmed medically. In 1964 I was healed of cancer on my vocal chord and in 2003, healed of cancer in my right lung!

Physical healing is an integral part of the atonement of Christ. It has been bought for us together with our salvation, through Christ’s suffering and death. Isaiah 53 states clearly: “He was wounded for our transgressions…And with His stripes we are healed.” We believe that our sin was taken away and the penalty was paid by Christ’s suffering and death. We do not question our salvation, which is by faith in the finished work of Christ’s atonement. However the Bible clearly states that not only our sin but also our sickness was borne by Him. We need to apply the same level of faith to our healing from sickness as we do to our salvation from sin.

One of the first people that I saw healed was when I was a very young pastor and evangelist in England. Shortly after finishing college, I left the church I had pastored as a student, in Dorking, Surrey, and I was called to take over a church in Harrogate, North England, and prepare for an evangelistic crusade. I was only twenty years old. Soon after arriving, Mr Corker, one of the men in the church, 73 years old, became ill. He refused to go to the doctor until it was too late – they had to rush him into hospital where they diagnosed terminal cancer. He was so sick, they took away most of his stomach, gave him a catheter to pass the water, and a colostomy – and sent him home to die.

The doctors expected him to live for just three weeks. As his pastor, I went many times to his home to pray with him and I discovered that although he had a difficult very blunt ‘Yorkshire’ character, this man loved God from the bottom of his heart. I saw him in a new way, not just as a dying man, not just as a difficult deacon in my church, but I saw how much he loved the Lord. 

God completely healed that man! God restored all his body functions! He came out of bed; he came back in the church, completely healed at 73 years old. Why? God saw that man as an individual, saw that man's heart and his need. I marveled at the power of such a God! The miracle was so great; as a direct result, his own son became an evangelist and missionary! 

'Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralysed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralysed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.' (Matthew 9.1-8, NIV.)

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third storey and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms round him. ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘He’s alive!’ Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted...  Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20.1-12, 32, NIV)

They answered, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’

So Paul asked, ‘Then what baptism did you receive?’

‘John’s baptism,’ they replied.

Paul said, ‘John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.’ On hearing this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all. (Acts 19.1-7, NIV)

Acts 18 recounts the apostle Paul's ministry in Corinth and Ephesus, detailing his interactions with Jews and Gentiles, his companions, and his trials. This chapter highlights the spread of the Gospel despite opposition, the importance of discipleship and mentorship, and the collaborative nature of early Christian ministry.

The Church began in Fire and Power on the Day of Pentecost, but as we have seen throughout the book of Acts, this outpouring was not just a one time experience, instead, the apostles and the early church were continually being filled with the Spirit. I believe we should be living as the early Church did - in the Fire and Power of God. 

'After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.' (Acts 18.1-4, NIV.) Persecution of the Jews has been a problem for thousands of years; yet God has always used persecution as a means of furthering the Gospel; as the Scripture teaches, what was meant for our harm, God will use for our good. 

'Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”' (Acts 17.23-31, NKJV)

'About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, ‘Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!’

'The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’

'They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptised. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole household' (Acts 16.25-34, NIV).

'Peter got up and addressed them: ‘Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles should hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.

'The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.' (Acts 15.7-12, NIV)

'Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders... They gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.' (Acts 14.3, 27, NIV.)

Acts 14 recounts the missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas to various cities in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). In Iconium, they face opposition but continue to preach boldly, performing miracles that lead to some conversions. However, a plot to stone them forces them to flee to Lystra and Derbe, where they continue to spread the Gospel.

In Lystra, Paul heals a man, leading the locals to believe they are gods. When Paul and Barnabas try to correct this misunderstanding, the crowd turns against them, and Paul is stoned and left for dead. However, he survives and moves on to Derbe, where they continue preaching.

Afterward, they backtrack through the cities they visited, encouraging and strengthening the believers. They appoint elders in each church before returning to Antioch, where they report their journey to the church, recounting how God had opened doors for the Gentiles to believe.

Commissioning of Paul and Barnabas: The chapter begins with the church in Antioch commissioning Paul and Barnabas for missionary work. The Holy Spirit directs this decision. Preaching in Cyprus: Paul and Barnabas travel to Cyprus, where they preach the word of God in synagogues. They encounter Bar-Jesus, a false prophet, whom Paul rebukes for trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Preaching in Pisidian Antioch: They journey to Pisidian Antioch and preach in the synagogue there. Paul gives a powerful sermon recounting Israel's history and how Jesus fulfills God's promises. Many Jews and Gentiles believe, but some Jews oppose them, leading to their expulsion from the region. Turning to the Gentiles: Paul and Barnabas turn their focus to the Gentiles, spreading the Gospel throughout the region. The message spreads rapidly. Opposition and Perseverance: Despite facing opposition and persecution, Paul and Barnabas continue to preach boldly, relying on God's strength.

The chapter concludes with Paul and Barnabas departing from Pisidian Antioch, shaking the dust off their feet as a symbolic gesture against those who reject the Gospel, and moving on to preach in Iconium.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon. (Acts 9.32-43)

'I will show him how much he must suffer for my name,' (Acts 9.16): We mustn't be afraid of suffering for in the moment of your greatest tragedy, in the moment of your greatest suffering, when you’re hurting more than you’ve ever hurt before, Jesus is there. He’s not forgotten you, He’s walking nearer to you. Jesus said, ‘I will be with you always.’ Every day, every hour, in the middle of every storm, in the middle of every sickness, even in a hospital bed, Jesus will always come. Whatever the crisis, there’s never a moment when He’s not there. 

Suffering is identification; in taking up our cross, we identify with Jesus, and He identifies with us. Jesus said, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.'

The Acts of the Apostles, with its challenges and miracles, demonstrates to us the work of the Believing Church, to prepare for and bring about the Kingdom of God on earth by sharing the Good News – the Gospel – in Power. Deliverance from sin and miracles of healing were the tools Jesus used. These, and the power of prayer, supported by our faith in God’s infallibility, the Holy Spirit working in and through us, are the Mission of the Church and you as part of God’s Mission!

I was recently evangelising in Poland to Ukrainian refugees. In the Saturday evangelistic meeting, we had 100 orphan children aged 14-18, bussed in by their Christian carers; over 150 refugees repented, we saw miracles of healing – testimonies were given on the platform, and others were shared on the buses as they went home. The pastors and missionaries who took part in this event shared their powerful memories of my ministry in Ukraine, Crimea, Belarus and Russia. They told of miracles which I didn’t know: that after my meetings in Gomel, Belarus, in 1994, they opened 50 new churches; in Evpatoria, Crimea, among the many outstanding healings, they brought one man on crutches, unable to walk unaided – he threw away his crutches, gloriously healed, and walked 12 miles home! These men and women from my past are so on fire, they are already missionaries and, as a result of the war in Ukraine, are evangelising Europe! What I want to show you is this, from the terrible persecution and hardship caused by the war can come blessing: God is using the displacement of people for the furtherance of the Gospel, just as He did in Acts 8.

These chapters are significant because they illustrate the challenges faced by the early Christian community, the importance of serving all members of the community, and the courage and faith of individuals like Stephen, who remained steadfast in their beliefs even in the face of persecution and death. Additionally, Stephen's speech in Acts 7 provides a concise summary of Israel's history, emphasising God's continual pursuit of His people despite their repeated disobedience.

In verses 12 to 20, we witness the extraordinary power and presence of God working through the apostles. The passage begins with the apostles performing many signs and wonders among the people. Gaining them great favour with the crowds. Despite the growing opposition from the religious leaders, the believers gathered in Solomon's Colonnade. But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord. Many were healed simply by being in their presence.

The impact of these miracles was so significant, that people brought their sick out into the streets hoping that Peter's shadow might fall on them and bring healing. Multitudes of people from neighbouring cities, also gathered in Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits. Astonishingly, everyone was healed.

In verse 31, Peter declares to the assembled council of religious leaders, that God exalted Jesus to His right hand as Prince and Saviour, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. He emphasises that they are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. Peter's message is about the exaltation of Jesus by God, the opportunity for repentance, and forgiveness of sins, and the role of the Holy Spirit in confirming these truths to believers.

Peter seizes the opportunity to preach to the crowd, explaining that it was not his own power but the power of Jesus Christ that healed the man. He emphasises that the people had denied Jesus and called for His crucifixion, but that God had raised Him from the dead. Peter urges the crowd to repent and turn to God, promising forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who believe.

Many who hear Peter's message believe and join the early Christian community, which grows rapidly in Jerusalem. This chapter illustrates the power of faith in Jesus Christ to bring about miraculous healing and transformation, as well as the boldness of Peter and John in proclaiming the Gospel despite opposition.

Acts 2 describes the events of Pentecost, which occurred fifty days after Jesus' resurrection. The disciples were gathered together in one place when suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind filled the house, and tongues of fire appeared and rested on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.

A large crowd gathered because they heard the disciples speaking in their own languages, and they were amazed and perplexed. Some accused the disciples of being drunk, but Peter stood up and addressed the crowd, explaining that what was happening was the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy concerning the pouring out of the Spirit in the last days.

Peter preached boldly about Jesus, his crucifixion, and resurrection, declaring him to be both Lord and Messiah. His words pierced the hearts of many in the crowd, and about three thousand people repented and were baptised that day.

The believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. They shared everything they had, and signs and wonders were done through the apostles. The community grew in number daily, and they praised God together, finding favour with all the people.

This chapter marks a significant moment in the early church's history, as it describes the empowering of the disciples by the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Christian church through the preaching of the Gospel.

I shall never forget the dramatic and exciting evangelism we held in Yambol, Bulgaria, before communism finally fell there. It was August. The music group Vinesong and I arrived the day before the opening. What could we do? Nothing? No!!! So, without permission, we decided to hold an open-air service in the big square in front of the Communist Party Headquarters in Yambol! This city of 100,000 had never witnessed such scenes before! As darkness fell the beautiful worship music drew the crowds. But when Vinesong sang in Bulgarian, ‘I bow the knee to Jesus’ – the whole crowd, 10,000 strong, knelt in prayer with their hands raised in worship and acceptance of Christ! Even the communist police on duty took off their hats, and the Communist Party Flag, which until then had been fluttering bravely in the breeze, hung down limp as if it too was bowing before the Name of Jesus!

The centurion said to Jesus, ‘I am not worthy that you should enter my house… but I am a man under authority, I say to my servant go and he goes.’ The centurion had AUTHORITY to COMMAND obedience! And he recognised this same authority in Jesus to command, when he said to Him, ‘Speak the word only and my servant will be healed.’ This is exactly what Jesus meant when, in Luke 9:1, He gave His disciples ‘power and authority over all demons and to heal diseases’.

The centurion recognised authority, and demonstrated such great FAITH in Jesus and in His authority, it was enough even to heal his servant with one word! This is the secret of power over sickness and evil – authority – and I believe that we have this same authority that Jesus had. Look at Matthew 10:1 where He gave His disciples authority to cast out unclean spirits and heal all manner of sickness and disease, and at verses 7-8 where He says to them, ‘Preach… Heal the sick… Raise the dead!’ If we want to heal the sick, we need boldness and authority to cast out the sickness!

“I’m not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!” If I weren’t living in the Power of this Gospel, if I weren’t preaching it and demonstrating it, I would be ashamed! How can you preach about something unless you really believe in it? I’ve seen so many miracles of healing. In my own life, I’ve been healed of cancer, miraculously, twice! In 1998 I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, they wanted to replace my hip. I didn’t even think about it, within days I was healed! What I am sharing with you, I live in the Power of it. We HAVE to live in the Power of what we preach!

'When Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralysed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralysed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ‘Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, ‘Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralysed man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up, take your mat and walk”? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’ (Mark 2.1-12, NIV.)

'You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth' (Acts 1.8, NKJV). One time when I was away on one of my prayer walks, I was talking to the Holy Spirit and said, "Holy Spirit, You know Jesus better than any of us. I want You to tell me what was the key to the Power that Jesus had." It became absolutely clear from reading the Scripture, that when Jesus was born, He gave up His heavenly power and authority and lived as a man here on earth with us. And it wasn't until His baptism in the river Jordan, when the Holy Spirit came down on Him like a dove, that He received the Power which transformed His life. What Jesus is saying here to these humble men is, when the Holy Spirit is come, He will give you the power which will transform your lives. The revolution when you are baptised in the Holy Spirit has to be life-transforming! In the Acts of the Apostles the disciples received the baptism of the Holy Spirit – instantly they were no longer frightened and ineffective, but filled with boldness and fire! That’s what we need today in the church – a new boldness, a new authority, a new power – which is the result of a baptism in the Holy Spirit!

Join David in a moment of reflection, and gratitude, as we acknowledge the faithfulness of God, who has guided, protected, and sustained David through 92 extraordinary years.

"From childhood, I wanted every day and every part of my life to be under the direction and control of the Holy Spirit. Now when I look back over 70 years of ministry I know with absolute certainty that there has been both purpose and direction in my life. God has been in control of all my days and all my experiences. Everything that has happened in my life was foreknown in His plan.

"God can touch your life too in a very powerful way and begin to direct and use you. Then in years to come you will see the direction He has taken. It will be evident – there will be no mistake."

James 5 primarily addresses issues related to wealth, patience, prayer, and the power of faith. 

James starts by warning the rich about the consequences of their misdeeds, emphasising the transient nature of wealth and the importance of righteous living.

Patience in Suffering: James encourages believers to be patient in times of suffering, just as farmers patiently wait for the harvest. He underscores the importance of steadfastness and endurance.

The Power of Prayer: James emphasises the power of prayer, encouraging believers to pray in times of trouble and to pray for one another. He highlights the effectiveness of fervent and righteous prayers.

Confession and Healing: James discusses the importance of confessing sins to one another and praying for each other's healing. He connects the healing of the sick with righteous living and the prayer of a righteous person.

The Example of Elijah: James cites the example of Elijah as a powerful prayer warrior, emphasising that Elijah's prayers had a significant impact and that believers today can experience similar results through fervent prayer.

Restoration of Wanderers: James concludes by addressing the responsibility of believers to help restore those who have strayed from the truth, turning them back to the path of righteousness.

In essence, James 5 encourages believers to live righteously, be patient in times of trial, rely on the power of prayer, and actively support one another in their spiritual journeys.

'Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"

'Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me..."

'"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."' (John 14.1-6, 12-14, NKJV)

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig-tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (James 3.1-12, NIV)

But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.

You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. (James 2.14-24, NIV)

'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.' (James 1, KJV)

'The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through His own blood. Let us, then, go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

'Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.' (Hebrews 13.8-16, NIV)

When I think of the number of troubles I have had – being in a communist prison for a year, having cancer twice, having gunmen sent on three occasions to shoot me – God uses every circumstance to His glory, He uses the problems and the difficulties in our lives to convince us miraculously! I've proved that life with Christ is an unfolding adventure. I would rather be in a storm with Jesus than live at peace without Him.

'By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

'By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

'By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

'By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

'By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

'By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.' (Hebrews 11.1-11, NKJV)

I have always believed that in the life and ministry of Jesus, it was the miracles that confirmed who He was. Acts 2.22. It was and is the same for us – we need the miracles to confirm the Truth and the Power of the Gospel we preach. When I received the Holy Spirit, aged 13, I obeyed the Apostle Paul and ‘coveted the best gifts’, asking specifically for the gift of faith to add to my ‘speaking in tongues’. I do personally believe that this specific ‘asking’ was for my future in evangelism. And God has worked powerful miracles in my life: twice I've been healed of cancer; throat cancer in 1964, and lung cancer in 2003. 

Knowing God, and doing the impossible, or as the Scripture we read in Daniel says, exploits, depends on our relationship with God. My relationship with God is based on my relationship with my father, Rev WG Hathaway. I ask God, "Here's the problem, what is the answer?" 

Jesus is the only one who can deliver! He wants to reach out to you! You need to find Him, not just for your miracle of healing, but to be set free, delivered from that sin, that problem you cannot get rid of. God gave His Son just for you: to rescue, deliver and heal you. That’s why when you are in a crisis, God is the closest. Not in your prosperity, not when you are on top of the world, but in the crisis, in the pain, that’s when Jesus is the closest to you. I thank God for my 10 months in prison – when I was tortured, when they were starving me of food, when they did every kind of bad thing – in the darkness of my prison, that’s when I found Jesus in a new way, the reality and evidence of who He is. When 60 years ago I had throat cancer, 20 years ago I had lung cancer – it was in the darkness of my despair that I found the real Jesus. 

Addressing the Day of Prayer in Armenia, David said, “I believe God has called me at this strategic time to your nation. Armenia is facing a crisis, but all our times are in God’s Hands – and that’s why we’re here together today. Your unity in prayer is something I have dreamt about for years. We are one Body, but many different parts. Together today we proclaim the Name of Jesus over this nation, and symbolically we cover Armenia with the Blood of the Lamb and claim God’s protection. Armenia, you do not stand alone against the enemy, God is with you. O God, put a wall of fire around this nation that no enemy can break through! Armenia, this is God’s message to you: ‘I have seen your misery, I have heard your cry, and I am come down to deliver.’ God – your God – is already here!”